Dear Yvonne, We can’t help but to wonder if your ceiling is in Sydney, Australia or Schenectady, New York, or perhaps some other place on the planet. This appears to be the early stages of a Bald Faced Hornet nest, so depending upon your location, this might be the nest of a related species If summer just began in the Southern Hemisphere for you, this nest is probably being constructed. If you are in the grips of a northeastern North American winter, this nest was probably long abandoned.

Thanks. I live in Tasmania, Australia. It is the size of a tennis ball. I havent touched it to determine if its occupied. Its in a barren shed used as a change room at a local country pool. (So only used in summer). It is suspended from a ceiling joist. There was no activity for the 10 minutes we were in the shed. This was in the daytime Cheers yvonne Another suggestion was a polyphamus moth?? Just cant find an exact replica on google images.

Subject: Mason Was planning – I think! Geographic location of the bug: SE Louisiana Date: 07/29/2018 Time: 09:47 AM EDT Your letter to the bugman: Found two of these tiny wasp-looking creatures leaving their baby creatures in tiny perfectly round holes in my shed wall. Got a photo of one but the other flew off before I could get her. I say ‘her’ because she was a bit thicker in the abdomen and I thought that maybe she was carrying eggs. After an Internet search I figured that they are probably Mason Wasps, but I’m wondering if you can tell me more. I’m an avid outdoors person and am astounded that I’ve never seen these before! I’m quite familiar with Carpenter Bees, they like my shed as well. An ID would be appreciated! Thanks, How you want your letter signed: Margie from Louisiana

Keyhole Wasp Nesting

Dear Margie, We feel pretty confident that this is NOT a Mason Wasp in the subfamily Eumeninae, as those tend to be bulkier, based on images posted to BugGuide. We believe this is a Thread-Waisted Wasp in the family Sphecidae, but we would gladly accept any identification assistance our readership can provide.

Keyhole Wasp Nest

Thanks, Daniel! I also posted to the Insect ID page on Facebook. One of the readers there thinks that it is a Crabronid Trypoxglon? He said “Not a potter, mason, mud dauber, or thread waisted.”

What do you think about this ID?

Margie

Hi Margie, The large head was one of the features we observed, and according to a comment by Eric Eaton on BugGuide: “All other our species (the ‘keyhole wasps’) nest in pre-existing tunnels like beetle borings, sealing the finished nest with mud. Paralyzed spiders are used as provisions in each cell.” That seems like a very good identification to us and we like the name Keyhole Wasp.

Hi,

I’m looking at your site and searching under the Trypoxylon group I found this guy – I think it is the same:

Hi again Margie, That link was from BugGuide, not our site. The name Keyhole Wasp was used in a comment by Eric Eaton. When we researched the common name Keyhole Wasp, we found it in reference to the Mason Wasp Pachodynerus nasidens on BugGuide.

Subject: Bald faced hornet nest Geographic location of the bug: Washington D.C. Metro area, USA Date: 05/19/2018 Time: 07:57 AM EDT Your letter to the bugman: A couple weeks ago I was surprised when I noticed a “beehive” (I know they’re not bees) newly under construction right to the side of my garage. I was really surprised because it’s being built ON the siding! I was able to find out it’s a bald faced hornets nest. Now I need to figure out what to do about it. From what I’ve researched it should only be the Queen in there right now…which would explain why I’ve only ever seen one hornet on it. I don’t wanna kill her like everyone keeps telling me to but I do need to remove it. What is the best way to do so where I’m not gonna get killed by this thing or kill her?! *I may have a slight irrational fear of all things “bee”. The first pic I included is of the nest about three days ago. The second pic is just to show where on the house the nest is located. How you want your letter signed: Christine O.

Bald Faced Hornet Nest

Hi Christine, We can see by the images you provided that this Bald Faced Hornet nest is positioned so it is near the entrance to your home. Hornets are social wasps that will defend the nest. While we acknowledge your quandary regarding this matter, alas we do not provide extermination advice. We would advise you to act before the queen Bald Faced Hornet’s first brood become adults as the workers will help her to defend the nest.

Subject: Wasp?? Geographic location of the bug: Byrnestown qld. 4625. Date: 03/07/2018 Time: 01:56 AM EDT Your letter to the bugman: Have had a lovely yellow and black wasp building a very small mud nest on the toilet seat of all places! I have not seen another one like her, there are a lot of the mud dauber wasps that build their nests everywhere in the house, this ones stripes are more yellow than the mud dauber, she was trying to put a caterpillar in the nest but caught me watching her and took off and I haven’t seen her return, usually the mud dauber wasps don’t care if you watch them, actually can get very close, would you happen to know the species?, seems very shy. How you want your letter signed: Leigh

Potter Wasp Nest

Dear Leigh, This looks to us like the nest of a Potter Wasp in the subfamily Eumeninae, a subfamily well represented with yellow and black individuals from Australia pictured on the Brisbane Insect site where it states: “Potter Wasps in Eumeninae build mud nest. They are solitary wasps. They are typically black and yellow or black and orange in colours. Potter wasps usually prey on caterpillars which they paralyze and place inside cells in their nests for their young. Nests are either dug into the ground, constructed from mud, in wood, or in existing burrows of their hosts.”

Subject: Mystery nest Geographic location of the bug: Buenos Aires, Argentina Date: 01/12/2018 Time: 10:05 AM EDT Your letter to the bugman: Dear Mr Bugman, I come to ask you about the small nest that’s formed on my ficus tree. I live in the Southern Hemisphere and it’s summer right now. I suspect it’s some kind of wasp nest. What can you tell me about it? Also, should I just leave it alone? It’s about 5 cm x 4 cm x 4 cm by the way How you want your letter signed: Sofi

Potter Wasp Nest

Dear Sofi, You are correct that this is a Wasp Nest, and since it is a non-aggressive solitary Potter Wasp, there is no need to fear it or to remove it. Potter Wasps or Mason Wasps in the subfamily Eumeninae construct nests of mud. Here is a BugGuide image for comparison.

Subject: Another query for you Geographic location of the bug: Tarn region, South West France Date: 10/18/2017 Time: 11:25 AM EDT Hi bugman Daniel,Thanks for your speedy reply and for answering my question. Great service! I think your website is fantastic, with so much info there – you must be really fascinated by all these bugs. I have another query for you. Another piece of wood, this time poplar with about 1cm or just under half inch holes. The larvae have gone but left behind stuff like cotton wool with a hard case inside – now empty. I guess it’s another beetle, but bigger this time. Any ideas? Best regards, Phil Anfield

European Wool Carder Bee Nest, we believe

Hi again Phil, We believe this is the nest of a European Wool Carder Bee, a species represented on BugGuide because it has been introduced to North America. According to BugGuide: “Females collect ‘wool’ from downy plants such as Lamb’s Ears to line their nest cavities.” Here is a FlickR image and a BugGuide image of the nest.